Photographic camera with electrically operated film metering and timing mechanism

ABSTRACT

A photographic camera with a scanner for sensing perforations on a roll of film used for indexing film frames. The scanner has electrical contacts cooperating with a printed circuit board oriented parallel to the motion of the scanner. The contacts perform switching functions to control electrical elements on the camera. Camera exposure and film advance can be interlocked. A lever can be tensioned by depressing an exposure release member. The lever is held by an abutment and released when the lever moves away from the abutment. To take delayed exposures for selfphotographs, the lever can be held by a mechanical or electrical timing mechanism for a predetermined time interval after the exposure release member is depressed. The camera parts are preferably made of electrically insulating plastic material through injection molding.

United States Patent Lange [54] PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA WITH ELECTRICALLY OPERATED FILM METERING AND TIMING MECHANISM [72] Inventor: Karl Heinz Lange, Ennigloh,

Westphalia, Germany [73] Assignee: Balda Werke Photographische Gerate und Kunststoff R. Gruter Kommanditgesellschaft, Westphalia, Germany [22] Filed: July 16, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 55,515

[51] Int. Cl. ..G03b l/62, G03b 17/40, G03b 9/62 [58] Field of Search ..95/31 EL, 31 FM [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,568,584 3/1971 Harvey ..95/31 FM 3,481,261 12/1969v Fischer et a1 ..95/31 FM [151 3,683,774 .[4 1 Aug. 15, 1972 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 1,156,639 10/1963 Germany ..95/31EL 330,514 6/1958 Switzerland ..95/31EL Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-Russell E. Adams, Jr. Attorney-Sparrow and Sparrow ABSTRACT A photographic camera with a scanner for sensing perforations on a roll of film used for indexing film frames. The scanner has electrical contacts cooperating with a printed circuit board oriented parallel to the motion of the scanner. The contacts performswitching functions to control electrical elements on the camera. Camera exposure and film advance can be interlocked. A lever can be tensioned by depressing an exposure release member. The lever isheld by an abutment and released when the lever moves away from the abutment. To take delayed exposures for self-photographs, the lever can be held by a mechanical or electrical timing mechanism for a predetermined time interval after the exposure release member is depressed. The camera parts are preferably made of electrically insulating plastic material through injection molding.

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- sum 15 or 16 PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA WITH ELECTRICALLY OPERATED FILM METERING AND TIMING MECHANISM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a photographic camera with electrically operated equipment and elements. A scanner senses perforations in a roll of film 1 which has one perforation for each exposure frame. A

circuit board is situated parallel to the direction of motion of the scanner which is also provided with spring contacts cooperating with conductive paths on the circuit board. During the displacement of the scanner, which depends upon the chosen operating condition of the camera, the contacts execute switching functions for controlling the electrically operated elements of the camera.

In accordance with the present invention, the camera is also provided with a flash cube holder which is positively indexed during the film advance, and moves a lever into a tensioned position in cooperation with a friction clutch. If film has not been inserted into the camera, the lever releases the scanner for locking the film advance. If, on the other hand, film has been inserted into the camera, the lever is set into a locking position when a finger provided on the scanner drops into a perforation through the film.

At the same time that the scanner actuates a locking lever for altematingly controlling the film advance and release function, the locking lever moves from a first position into a second position, which locks the film feed or film advance, The shutter release mechanism is locked after each release operation, and the locking lever remains in the second position when the shutter release mechanism has returned to its initial position. When the finger of the scanner drops into a perforation through the film, when a new frame has been advanced, the locking lever is returned to its first or initial position through an actuating edge during the motion of the finger. In this first position of the locking lever, the film advance or transport wheel is again locked.

The tensioning lever is mounted on a shutter orexposure release slider, and is displaced in the direction of the releasing motion, during a shutter release operation. The tensioning lever is retained in its tensioned position by a stationary projection, until the release point or release instant is reached. At that instant, the tensioning lever can then pass behind the projection and open the shutter blade with its actuating portion, be being spring driven.

With this arrangement of the present invention, a relatively inexpensive and reliable delayed exposure timing mechanism is realized. With such delayed timing mechanism, the shutter release mechanism can be preset to take an exposure after a predetermined time interval which allows, for example, the photographer to appear in front of the camera and to be part of a group to be photographed.

In accordance with the present invention, furthermore, the projection which was stationary above in maintaining the tensioning lever in its tensioned position, is also made displaceable in the direction of the release motion. In the case of non-automatic exposures, a suitable device is provided for this purpose which leaves the projection in its place as previously so that the normal operation of the shutter remains unchanged. In the case of automatic exposures, at the time, the projection is reciprocated in the same direction through suitable means during the depression of the shutter release button or the like. Upon reaching release point after a time interval determined by the mechanical or electronic timing or delay mechanism, the projection returns to its initial position, and thereby releases the tensioning lever for triggering the shutter. A transmission slider or lever controls a driving link which connects or disconnects the release slide from the displaceable retarding slide. The transmission slide, at the same time, actuates a retaining pawl for keeping the release slide in its releasing position until the operation of the timing mechanism.

Cameras are already known in the art in which an alternate film advance and exposure release locking mechanism are used to altematingly advance the film and lock the exposure release. Such an arrangement has been known in the art even in conjunction with positively indexed flash cube holders. However, the conventional designs are not suitable for use in cameras having electrically controlled equipment as, for example, electronically controlled shutters. This is due to the condition that electrical switching operations must be performed in such cameras with electronically controlled shutters, whereby expensive insulation problems arise. Such problems can usually be only overcome through costly insulated switching devices or levers for the conventional cameras.

Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a camera of economical design, and complying with the requirements for operating cameras with electronically controlled shutters and electricallyoperated accessories.

It is the object of the present invention to provide such a camera when equipped with or without a timing mechanism.

It is also the object of the present invention to provide a camera of the foregoing character which is simple to operate, reliable, and foolproof in extreme cases.

To solve the problem associated with electrical insulation, the present invention provides for construction which uses plastic material. The levers which actuate simultaneously the switches and spring contacts, are made of plastic material formed through injectionmolded parts. The electrical switching operations are accomplished through the displacement motion of the scanner and retarding slide. The use of plastics in the construction of the elements of the camera in accordance with the present invention permits particularly economical manufacture through the use of multiple molds in the fabrication process. The plastic parts also possess a more favorable coefiicient of friction, so that less wear occurs when the parts slide against each other. As a result, the reliability of operation of the camera mechanism is increased.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the following description and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names for convenience, but such names are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit. Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a front view of a panel with a circuit board shown in broken lines.

FIG. 1a is a front view of the panel,

FIG. 1b is a side view of the panel taken on the line A-B of FIG. 1,

FIG. is a section taken on the line C-D of FIG. 1 with circuit board shown in broken lines,

FIG. 2 is a front view, side view and a section taken on the line G-I-I of a release slide,

FIG. 3 is a front view of the panel with fitted release slide and a section through the upper portion of the camera, showing the intermediate gear, and a half section through the flash cube holder and a half-view of the film feed wheel,

FIG. 3a is a section taken on the line EF of FIG. 3 with indicated bearing points and sectors of feed wheel, intermediate gear and flash cube holder,

FIG. 4 shows three views of the scanner constructed as a stop slide with riveted spring contacts,

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of the panel with fitted stop slide and inserted circuit board,

FIG. 6 is a front view and a side view of the tensioning lever,

FIG. 7 is a front view of the panel shown in chaindotted lines for the sake of clarity, with fitted release slide and fitted stop slide and the tensioning lever rotatably mounted on the release slide,

FIG. 7a is a section taken on the line J -K of FIG. 7,

FIG. 7b is a plan view of FIG. 7 comprising a part of the circuit board and a contact spring,

FIG. 8 is an overall view of the levers mounted on the panel and the parts co-operating therewith, in the in- FIG. 13a is a section taken on the line V-W of FIG.

13 omitting non-essential details.

operative position when the camera has been triggered,

FIG. 8a is a view of the armature lever, pawl and spring contacts of the circuit board,

FIG. 8b is a side view of FIG. 8 from the right with the stop slide in the locked position, omitting non-essential details, I

FIG. 80 is a plan view of FIG. 8 with the stop slide in the locked position, omitting non-essential details,

FIG. 9 is an overall arrangement showing the positions of the levers mounted on the panel and of the parts co-operating therewith and the camera tensioned,

FIG. 9a is a section taken on the line LM of FIG. 9, omitting non-essential details,

FIG. 9b is a side view of FIG. 9 from the right with the stop slide in the unlocked position, omitting non-essential details,

FIG. 90 is a plan view of FIG. 9, with stop slide omitting non-essential details,

FIG. 10 is an overall view showing the positions of the levers mounted on the panel and of the parts cooperating therewith, with the camera shutter release half-depressed,

FIGS. 10a and 10b are two sections taken on the lines N-O and P-Q of FIG. 10, omitting non-essential details,

FIG. 11 is a front view of the transmission lever showing sections taken on the lines R-S and T-U,

FIG. 12 is an overall view showing the position of the levers mounted on the panel and the parts co-operating therewith with the release slide completely depressed and the shutter open,

FIG. 13 for an embodiment fitted with a delayed exposure timing mechanism, is a front view of the panel with release slide, the tension lever mounted on the release slide and, in broken lines, resting position of the retarding slide on the back of the panel,

the unlocked FIG. 14 is a front view of the panel with retarding mechanism, retaining pawl, automatic exposure control slide and tension lever in the tensioned position,

FIG. 14a is a section taken on the line X-Y of FIG. 14 omitting non-essential details,

FIG. 15 is a rear view of the panel showing the complete arrangement of levers and sliders,

FIG. 15a is a side view taken on the line A'B of FIG. 15, omitting non-essential details,

FIG. 15b is a rear view of the panel with a timing mechanism and bearing plate,

FIG. 16 is a front view of the complete arrangement of levers and slide members before the shutter release with the outline of the panel shown in broken lines,

FIG. 17 is a front view of the complete arrangement of levers and slide members with the shutter release depressed and locked, with the outline of the panel board shown in broken lines,

FIG. 18 is a front view of an embodiment comprising an electronic timing mechanism, whilst, in accordance with the present invention, the already existing electronic system of the shutter timing arrangement is used,

FIG. 18a is a plan view of an embodiment comprising an electronic timing mechanism shown in section,

FIG. 18b is the circuit of the embodiment comprising an electronic timing mechanism,

FIG. 18c shows the arrangement of the individual contacts provided with reference letters,

FIG. 19 is an arrangement of the indicator lamp for I the monitoring of the exposure angle,

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawing and in particular to FIGS. l-lc, a panel member 1 is held in place by three retaining pins 5,6,7 on the front of the camera case. These pins are threaded into holes 2,3,4, respectively, in the panel member 1. The latter is further provided with rectangular openings 8,9, a corner cutout 10, an openend slot 11, and a slot 12 with elongated shape for receiving the release slide 31 shown in FIG. 2. The design takes into account requirements for freedom in assembly.

The angular opening 13 in conjunction with an adjacent lug portion 14 terminating in a nose portion 15 integral therewith, are used to guide the stop slide 54 shown in FIG. 4. The bearing pin 16 riveted to the lug 14, is used for mounting a transmission lever shown in detail in FIG. 11. The panel member 1 is also provided with openings 17 and 18 having lateral slots 17a and 18a for receiving bifurcated circuit board attachments 113, shown in FIGS. 10 and 7b. A pin 19 shown in FIGS. 1,1a and 9, is also riveted to the front of the panel member 1 for mounting an armature lever 89 and a pawl 90. The angled projection 20 and abutment 22, illustrated in FIGS. lb and 1c, serve to limit rotation of the tensioning lever 64 shown in FIG. 6, and to guide the motion of this lever. The abutment portion 22 resides within the recess 21. Edges 23 and 24 of the panel member 1 are bent inward at the top and bottom, into the plane of the drawing, so that they form a rearward open member of U-shaped cross section as shown in FIG. 1b.

The upper edge 23 hasan angular bent portion 25 which contains threaded holes 26 for accommodating screws for the purpose of holding a magnet 95 in place. This magnet 95 is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The bent-up edge 23 is also provided with a riveted pin 27 which serves as a bearing member for the locking lever 122, shown in FIGS. 80 and 9c. A hole 28 in the edge 23, furthermore, serves as a bearing opening for the flash cube holder 48, shown in FIG. 3. A still further opening 29 in FIG. 1a on the edge portion 23, serves as a threaded hole for attaching a circuit board 112, illustrated in FIG. 10. The lower edge 24 of the panel member 1 contains an opening 30, as shown in FIG. 1c, which lies opposite to the opening 29.

Referring to FIG. 2, the release slide 31 is provided with a riveted bearing pin 32 and a reinforcing angled edge 33 which has a further angled projection 34 at its top. At the upper end of the release slide 31, is a locking ear 35. A guide nose portion 36 is provided at the lower end of the slide 31. A release lug 37 is situated at the left end on the release slide, as are an abutment portion 38 and a retaining arm 39 operating in conjunction with a tension spring 40, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. When assembled in place, the release slide 31 is located behind the panel member 1. The slide is guided through its guide nose portion 36 projecting into the slot 11 in the panel, as well as through its riveted bearing pin 32 which projects into the slot 12 of the panel member, as shown in FIG. 3. The release lug 37 and abutment 38 project through the rectangular openings 8 and 9 in the panel member, and beyond the front surface of the panel shown in FIG. 3a. The retaining arm 39 for the tension spring 40 which retains the release slide 31 in the inoperative position as shown in FIG. 3a, is similarly situated. The operative plane of the inclined angled projection 34 rests on the rear of the panel member.

FIG. 3a shows, furthermore, the bearing axis 41 of the film feed wheel 42, shown in broken lines for purposes of clarity. A gear 43 integral with the wheel 42 meshes with an intermediate gear 46 which is rotatable about an axis 44 at or within an opening in the top wall 45 of the camera, as shown in FIG. 3. The intermediate gear 46 meshes, in turn, with a gear 47 on the flash cube holder 48. The latter is also mounted on the top wall 45. When the film feed wheel 42 is turned in the direction of the arrow denoted by A, in FIG. 3a, the flash cube holder 48 becomes turned correspondingly. The intermediate gear 46 is provided, furthermore, with uniformly spaced feed pins 49-53 on its lowest side, as may be seen from FIGS. 3,3a and 9. These feed pins cooperate, in a manner to be described, with the tensioning lever 64 as shown in FIGS. 6,7,7a and 9. The stop slide 54 is preferably made of plastic material and has, as shown in FIG. 4, a base plate 55 with angular film perforation sensing finger means 56 situated on the under surface. The guide arm 58 formed from the front side surface 57, points upward and to the right. The border edge, shown in the upper portion of FIG. 4 points to the left, and has an upper actuating surface 63 joined to a lower inclined sliding surface 62. The surface 69 of the guide arm 58, has an integral locking blade 60.

On the upper side of the base plate 55, the stop slide 54 is provided with firmly mounted and resilient spring contacts 61. In assembled state, the stop slide 54 is movably guided through the angular opening 13 in the panel member, as shown in FIG. 5, so that the spring contacts 61 are free to open or close the associated circuits on the edged or printed circuit board 112, when the stop slide is at its terminal or end positions. The tensioning lever 64 which cooperates with the locking blade of the stop slide 54, is also preferably made of plastic material. This tensioning lever has a bearing bushing 65 with a bearing bore 66.

. The construction of the lever 64 is shown in FIG. 6. An actuating lug 67 projects upward on the lever, and is formed to the left of the bearing bushing 65, when referring to a side elevation. In a plan view, on the other hand, the outline is such that the locking surface 68 is directed to the right in the lower third position, after the tensioning lever 64 rotates to the left. The locking surface 68 can cooperate with the locking bushing 60 of the stop slide just before the tensioning lever reaches its end position. At its upper end, the actuating lug 67 has a stop surface 69 which points to the right, and a driving peg 70 is mounted on the surface to the left when looking at the front view of FIG. 6. In referring to the side view of FIG. 6, a downward directed actuating lug 71 is formed to the right of the bearing bushing 65. A stop projection 72 points to the left, at its end, and is provided with stop surfaces 73 and 74. The end of the actuating lug 71 is formed so that the stop edge 75 is vertical when the tensioning lever 64 is in its inoperative position.

In the first third portion of the downward-directed actuating lug 71, is an actuating nose portion 76 having an outer surface 77. A hole 78 in the lug 71, is provided for receiving one end of a tension spring 79.,In the inoperative position of the tensioning lever 64, the locking surface 68 is behind the locking blade 60 of the stop slide, as shown in FIG. 7. The stop edge 75 is in contact with the abutment portion 38, due to the action of the tension spring 79.

A transmission lever 80, shown in FIG. 8, is mounted on the front panel member 1 so as to rotate about the bearing pin 16. The transmission lever 80 is also preferably made of plastics material, and has an armate transmission arm 81 extending to the left of the pivoting axis 16. At the end of the arm 81, is a bearing surface 82 with a retaining finger 83 shaped to accommodate a tension spring 130. The back of the transmission arm 81 is situated on the lower edge and has a rectangular opening 84 at its open end, as shown in the sectional view RS in FIG. 11. This opening extends between the bottom and back, and merges at the end of the transmission arm 81, into a rectangular pocket 85 which is open only at the back, as may be seen in section P-U of FIG. 1 1.

The transmission lever 80 has, furthermore, a lug 86 on the other side of the bearing pin 60. This lug 86 is directed downward and up an incline to the right which terminates into a downward-pointed surface used as a switch cam 87. The latter cooperates with the contact 117, shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, in a manner to be described. The border edge of the lug 86 points to the right and terminates into a stop portion 88. An armature lever 89 and pawl 90 have a common axis of rotation through the bearing pin 19 riveted to the front of the panel member, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 8a. The 

1. A photographic camera having a shutter with timing mechanism controlling said shutter for automatic exposures comprising, in combination, film means having a perforation per frame; stop slide means for sensing said perforation in said film means; circuit board means with conductive paths arranged parallel to the motion of said stop slide means; contact means connected to said stop slide and contacting said conductive paths on said circuit board means; operation selecting means for selecting the operational state of said camera and linked to said stop slide for moving said contact means against said predetermined ones of said conductive paths dependent upon the selected operational state of said camera; retarding mechanism slide means with retaining projection for operation during automatic exposure; tension lever means cooperating with said retaining projection; link means cooperating with said retarding mechanism slide means so that said retaining projecTion follows the release movement of said shutter; release slide means operative during said release movement; pawl means engaging said slide means and locking said slide means in place at the end of said release movement, said retaining projection following said release movement through said link means and moving out of initial operative position to an end position at the end of said release movement; timing means for delaying by a predetermined interval the return of said retaining projection to said initial position after having reached said end position, said retaining projection releasing said tension lever means upon return to said initial position for releasing said camera after said predetermined interval of time.
 2. The camera as defined in claim 1 including electrically operated switching devices connected to said circuit board means and switched to operative state when said timing means becomes operative, said devices being switched to inoperative state when said timing means becomes inoperative at the end of said predetermined time interval.
 3. The camera as defined in claim 1 including a transmission member for moving said link means in and out of engagement with said timing means, said transmission member moving also said pawl means in and out of engagement with said release slide means.
 4. The camera as defined in claim 1 including a timing mechanism slide in said timing means; electromagnet means for retaining said timing mechanism slide in place after reaching its lowest position during the motion of said mechanism slide, said electromagnet releasing said timing mechanism slide after expiration of said predetermined time interval for releasing said camera.
 5. The camera as defined in claim 1 including a panel member for guiding said release slide means; means for rotatably mounting said tension lever on said release slide means; a stop projection engaged by said tension lever in inoperative positions; spring means for moving said tension lever against said stop projection; an actuating lug on said tension lever, said tension lever being of plastic material; feed pins cooperating with said actuating lug; an intermediate gear for holding said feed pins; a driving peg for said actuating lug; a transmission lever with pocket engaged by said driving peg; a lever arm for supporting said transmission lever at one end, said driving peg engaging said pocket during the last portion of angular movement of said tension lever; a second actuating lug on said tension lever; a stop projection on said second actuating lug; a stationary stop angle on said panel member so that said stop projections on said second actuating lug moves into proximity of said stationary stop angle due to angular motion of said tension lever, whereby during downward movement of said release slide means and said tension lever means, said projection on said second actuating lug becomes placed against said stationary stop angle on said panel member, said tension lever means remaining in tensioned position through said spring means and moving with its first-mentioned actuating lug out of the path of motion of said feed pins during release of said camera.
 6. The camera as defined in claim 5 including an auxiliary lever arm; an armature lever turned by said auxiliary lever arm; spring means connected to said armature lever, said armature lever being turned by said auxiliary lever arm; spring means connected to said armature lever, said armature lever being turned by said auxiliary lever arm against the action of said last-mentioned spring, said tension lever means when moving downward with said release slide means during the release of said camera, swinging said transmission lever through said driving peg in said transmission lever pocket and turning simultaneously said armature lever through said auxiliary lever arm; electromagnet means; an armature plate cooperating with said armature lever for pressing said armature lever against said electromagnet through said armature plate; a control cam on said transmission lever arm; a contact spring actuated by said control cam and secured to said circuit board means for executing a switching operation during turning of said armature lever; an auxiliary pawl mounted concentrically with said armature lever on said panel member, said auxiliary pawl being pressed against an angled edge of said armature lever; auxiliary contact spring means secured to said circuit board means and actuated by said auxiliary pawl for executing a switching operation.
 7. The camera as defined in claim 6 including a capacitor short circuited through said contact spring.
 8. The camera as defined in claim 1 including a guide arm on said stop slide means; a panel member with opening for guiding said guide arm, said stop slide means being of plastic material; sensing finger means on said stop slide means for sensing said perforations in said film; a locking projection on said guide arm, said tension lever means locking said stop slide means in initial position through said locking projection; and at least one contact spring on said stop slide means and cooperating with said circuit board means.
 9. The camera as defined in claim 1 including flashcube holder means; film feed wheel means for advancing said film; integral gear means mounted integral with said film feed wheel means; intermediate gear means for interconnecting said flashcube holder means and said film feed wheel means; feed pins uniformly arranged on said intermediate gear; and an actuating lug on said tension lever means, said feed pins extending into the path of motion of said actuating lug and cooperating with said actuating lug.
 10. The camera as defined in claim 9 including a contact surface portion on said tension lever means; a stationary stop member struck by said tension lever means through said contact surface portion only when said flash cube holder means has completed an angular rotational motion of 90* .
 11. The camera as defined in claim 9 including friction clutch means between said film feed wheel means and said intermediate gear.
 12. The camera as defined in claim 5 including a locking surface portion on said tension lever means; a projection on said stop slide means engaged by said locking surface portion for locking said stop slide means in place at the end of the release movement of said camera, said stop angle releasing said tension lever means whereby said lever means moves into position for engaging said projection through said locking surface; an actuating projection on said tension lever means; shutter blade means with stop projection and pivotable about an axis for uncovering a shutter opening, said actuating projection striking against said stop projection on said shutter blade means and uncovering said shutter opening during return of said tension lever means; a locking projection; an arm on said tension lever means moved into proximity of said locking projection for retaining said shutter blade means in open position whereby said shutter opening is uncovered; electromagnet means; armature lever means cooperating with said electromagnet means for holding said shutter blade means in said open position until said electromagnet means releases said armature lever for return to its inoperative position whereby said shutter blade means is returned to its initial closed position for covering against said shutter opening.
 13. The camera as defined in claim 1 including a panel member with a U-shaped space for retaining said circuit board means parallel to the direction of motion of said stop slide means when sensing the edge of said film means; spring contact means mounted on said circuit board means; lever means pivotably mounted on said panel member, said spring contact means being angled so that they extend with their ends into the path of motion of said lever means on said panel member, said spring contact means being actuated so that said angled portions of said spring contact means engage said circuit board means through operation of said Lever means.
 14. The camera as defined in claim 1 including shutter blade means; a lever arm on said shutter blade means; locking pawl means cooperating with said lever arm for engaging said shutter blade means in the locking position of said locking pawl means; a stop projection on said shutter blade means; and an actuating projection on said tension lever means cooperating with said stop projection on said shutter blade means.
 15. The camera as defined in claim 1 including a transmission member; an automatic exposure switch member; and an indicator pin connected to one of said members and projecting out of said camera for indicating when said timing means is operative.
 16. The camera as defined in claim 15 including a view finder; and means within said viewfinder for indicating through said indicator pin that said camera is in automatic exposure operating state.
 17. The camera as defined in claim 1 including lamp means radiating light when said timing means in in operative state; means for directing said light from said lamp means in a cone-shaped beam so that the angle of dispersion of said light coincides with the exposure angle of the objective lens of said camera, whereby said lamp means is seen only from a position within said exposure angle of said objective lens of said camera.
 18. The camera as defined in claim 17 including means for adapting the angle of dispersion of said cone of light in longitudinal axis to varying exposure angles of said objective lens.
 19. The camera as defined in claim 1 including means with iris diaphragm markings for exposures of single persons; means for directing a ray of light at the center of the picture and having a small aperture angle; and means for producing a narrow beam of light at eye level over the width of the exposure angle for taking group exposure. 